Broadway Star Joined: 9/13/09
Due to injury, she is out until after the new year. While she is recovering from the injury, Vanessa Ray is playing Chrissy.
I'm sorry for Allison and her injury and I hope she recovers just fine, but...NOW is the time I'd love to see Hair. Allison was my least favorite thing about the show. I just found her to be very distracting.
Has anyone seen Vanessa before? How is she?
Vanessa is really good. She's very cute, and while I don't like her voice as much as Allison's, she isn't such a distraction.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/13/09
I believe it was a Hip injury.
There has been a lot of injuries, maybe because of the raked stage or just the wild dancing.
Stand-by Joined: 7/1/09
Last I heard is that Allison probably won't be rejoining the show.
Vanessa is a fantastic Crissy, she's sweet and cute but not as over the top as Allison, and I love Vanessa's voice a lot, it made for a very beautiful "Frank Mills."
^I have also heard that she would not be returning.
I saw Vanessa the other day, thought she was lovely. Cute, but without being too over the top.
I thought Vanessa just disappeared. I actually have NO memory of Frank Mills from her performance. (Mind you, I didn't think she was bad....just a lot of blah.)
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/08
Vanessa was good. Nothing star-making, but she did a nice job.
I also recently saw the show. I'm not sure if it was just because she was a new cast member or because I saw (and adored) her Olive in SPELLING BEE, but I couldn't take my eyes off of her the whole show. She has more of a pop-belty sound than Allison and her Frank Mills was gorgeous. I also caught myself tearing up a few times watching her in the group number. On more than one occasion it looked like she had tears streaming down her face.
I'm also one of the people who really LOVED Allison's portrayal when I first saw it. The people who have said that Vanessa's is a little more understated are right. She's a little less Special Ed, but at least the night I saw it, slightly more emotional.
Do we know if Vanessa is planning on traveling with the company overseas?
I would doubt that Vanessa would be able to leave NY even if it was offered as she is a regular on As The World Turns and would need to film during the day.
As The World Turns has been canceled, so depending on how much fast they can wrap up her storyline, maybe she can make the trip.
I thought Allison was cute in the show, but the bizarre following she's developed has honestly creeped me out more than a little.
I watch as the world turns almost everyday and I had no idea that Teri was Vanessa Ray.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Allison's portrayal of Crissy is the reason this revival resonates so well and isn't just a another dress up in groovy clothes nostalgia fest.
If current Crissys fail to bring that fear of the dark underbelly of the utopia to their portrayal, I'm sure the production suffers for it.
But who do you think is better Namo, Vanessa or Allison????
I thought Allison was fantastic, she was outstanding, not distracting, IMO. Loved her take on Crissy, it's a shame she won't be going back to the show in January as I am seeing the show then and would have loved to see her sing "Frank Mills" one more time.
I'm not sure that Alliaon IS returning to the show. Her fb has a few comments about picking up mail at the theatre for the last time. Sounded lpretty final to me.
Chorus Member Joined: 12/1/09
Has anyone seen Katie Kiyan as Chrissy? I know she's an understudy and her voice blew me away on the recording. I think she's one of the few actresses who covers the role who is the proper age for her, although that doesn't necessarily matter.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/06
I saw Katie as Chrissy. As for that fanmail thing on fb...she also put that on twitter. She said that it would be the last time for the holidays before she went home. to CA.
Chorus Member Joined: 12/1/09
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/06
I thought that she was pretty good....very different from Allison. I think I like her more in her regular ensemble track though.
^^ I agree. I saw her once and she did a fine job. Nothing like Allison, but still a good job overall.
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